Hero and Leander.

London: printed by the Ballantyne Press and sold by Elkin Mathews and John Lane,, 1894. Who ever loved, that loved not at first sight? First edition thus, one of 220 copies printed on handmade paper, of which 200 were released for trade. This work presents Christopher Marlowe's 1598 rendering of the romantic mythological legend of Hero and Leander with the contemporary continuation by George Chapman. It was one of three productions by Ricketts and Shannon executed "at the Vale", the name of their Chelsea home, before the official establishment of the Vale Press in 1896. The work was produced to commemorate the 400 year anniversary of the first printing of Musaeus's sixth century Greek text of Hero and Leander by Aldus Manutius in Venice in 1494. The binding was designed by Ricketts and bears his initials on both covers. Octavo. Original full vellum, spine lettered in gilt, decoration palm motif designed by Ricketts on spine and covers in gilt, fore and bottom edge untrimmed. Full-page woodcut title page, woodcut vignettes and initials all by Charles Ricketts and Charles Shannon. Front cover slightly bowed as often, gilt bright, occasional light foxing to contents, otherwise clean. A very good copy. Ransom 434.